UConn women: Breaking down by 8

Updated 1:22 pm, Saturday, April 13, 2013

Connecticut forward Breanna Stewart (30) holds a piece of the net after defeating Louisville 93-60 in the national championship game of the women's Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Tuesday, April 9, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Photo: Bill Haber, Associated Press

The UConn women's basketball team earned its NCAA record-tying eighth national championship with a 93-60 win over Louisville Tuesday at New Orleans Arena. Below are lists of "eight" to sum up the Huskies ascension to the top of the sport.

GAMES THAT MATTERED

1. UConn 93, Louisville 60 April 9 (New Orleans Arena, New Orleans): The Huskies used runs of 19-0 and 11-2 in the first half to take control against the Cardinals. UConn joined Tennessee as the only programs in the history of the sport with eight national championships.

2. UConn 83, Notre Dame 65 (New Orleans Arena, New Orleans): The Huskies held the Irish to 29.7 percent shooting from the field to emphatically end a four-game losing streak in the series. All-Americans Skylar Diggins and Kayla McBride were a combined 8-of-35 shooting.

3. UConn 83, Kentucky 53 April 1 (Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport): Breanna Stewart, the Bridgeport Regional Most Outstanding Player, had 21 points and the Huskies scored 24 points off of 21 turnovers to advance to the Final Four for an NCAA record sixth straight season

4. Notre Dame 61, UConn 59 March 12 (XL Center, Hartford): The Huskies failed to execute late offensively and Natalie Achonwa made a game-winning layup with 1.8 seconds left in the Big East tournament final. The loss ended a run of five straight Big East tournament championships.

5. Notre Dame 96, UConn 87 3OT (Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Ind.): Diggins had 29 points and 11 rebounds and the Huskies blew numerous chances to win the game. The loss left them without the Big East regular season championship for the second straight season.

6. Baylor 76, UConn 70 Feb. 18 (XL Center): Brittney Griner led the top-ranked Lady Bears with 25 points (21 in the second half), nine rebounds and four assists. The Huskies allowed 21 offensive rebounds and committed 18 turnovers. They also led by as many as 11 in the first half and by seven with 15:46 left in the game.

7. UConn 79, Duke 49 Jan. 21 (Gampel Pavilion): The Huskies committed three turnovers and outscored the Blue Devils 47-19 in the second half. They also had a 31-7 run in the half and have now won six straight against Duke by 29.3 points.

8. UConn 61, Stanford 35 Dec. 29 (Maples Pavilion, Palo Alto, Calif.): Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis had 19 points and six rebounds and UConn held the then-No. 1 Cardinal to team single-game records of 19.6 percent shooting from the field and 11 made field goals. The Huskies also stopped Stanford's 82-game winning streak at home.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

1. Breanna Stewart had a career-high 29 points, five rebounds and four blocks in 35 minutes vs. Notre Dame in the national semifinals April 7

2. Stewart had 23 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks in 30 minutes vs. Louisville in the NCAA tournament final April 9

2000: Asjha Jones. Starters Shea Ralph, Svetlana Abrosimova and Sue Bird led the way, but Jones averaged 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds off the bench in the tournament and was selected to the Final Four all-tournament team as a sophomore

2003: Willnett Crockett. She averaged 5.5 points and 5.0 rebounds off the bench in the tournament, but she had nine points and 10 rebounds to help the Huskies rally in the second half to beat Texas in the national semifinals

2004: Maria Conlon. Steady in the backcourt with All-American Diana Taurasi, Conlon averaged 6.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists in the tournament. She had a team-high five assists and one turnover in 33 minutes against Tennessee in the tournament final.

2009: Tiffany Haye. Beyond the Big Three of Renee Montgomery, Tina Charles and Maya Moore, Hayes averaged 10.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the tournament as a freshman. She had 28 points, five rebounds and seven assists against California in the regional semifinals.

(2010): With Moore and Charles leading the way, Caroline Doty was the ideal facilitator in averaging 5.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists in the tournament. She had eight points, five rebounds, three assists and zero turnovers in 36 minutes against Stanford in the final.

2013: Kelly Faris. On a team with All-Americans Bria Hartley, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Stefanie Dolson and rising star Breanna Stewart, Faris averaged 9.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists in the tournament and was named to the Final Four all-tournament team.